SLS static fire test today
NASA will make its second attempt today complete a full 8 minute long static fire test of the core stage of its SLS rocket.
The two-hour window for the test begins at 3 pm (Eastern). You can watch it on NASA TV.
To put it mildly, a lot rides on this test. If anything should go wrong, the future of the SLS rocket will be grim indeed. And should all go well NASA will still be under grave schedule pressure. Though the actual first launch of SLS using this core stage is presently set for the fall, NASA has admitted that they need to review that schedule once today’s test is completed.
Preparations for the upcoming test are going well, NASA Acting Administrator Steve Jurczyk said in an interview March 17.
,,,If the test does go well, he said the agency should be able to soon confirm a launch date for the Artemis 1 mission, which will use the core stage being tested at Stennis. That mission is currently projected to launch in November. “I think that, within probably just a few weeks, they’ll take a look at the schedule one more time and confirm whether we can make November of this year or if we need to go out a little bit.”
The agency is trying hard to meet that November date, but no one will be surprised if the flight ends up happening in January ’22. Any later than that and they will have a new problem, as the already stacked solid rocket boosters must fly within a year of stacking, and this process began back in December ’20.
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NASA will make its second attempt today complete a full 8 minute long static fire test of the core stage of its SLS rocket.
The two-hour window for the test begins at 3 pm (Eastern). You can watch it on NASA TV.
To put it mildly, a lot rides on this test. If anything should go wrong, the future of the SLS rocket will be grim indeed. And should all go well NASA will still be under grave schedule pressure. Though the actual first launch of SLS using this core stage is presently set for the fall, NASA has admitted that they need to review that schedule once today’s test is completed.
Preparations for the upcoming test are going well, NASA Acting Administrator Steve Jurczyk said in an interview March 17.
,,,If the test does go well, he said the agency should be able to soon confirm a launch date for the Artemis 1 mission, which will use the core stage being tested at Stennis. That mission is currently projected to launch in November. “I think that, within probably just a few weeks, they’ll take a look at the schedule one more time and confirm whether we can make November of this year or if we need to go out a little bit.”
The agency is trying hard to meet that November date, but no one will be surprised if the flight ends up happening in January ’22. Any later than that and they will have a new problem, as the already stacked solid rocket boosters must fly within a year of stacking, and this process began back in December ’20.
I must unfortunately ask you for your financial support because I do not depend on ads and rely entirely on the generosity of readers to keep Behind the Black running. You can either make a one time donation for whatever amount you wish, or you sign up for a monthly subscription ranging from $2 to $15 through Paypal or $3 to $50 through Patreon.
Your support will allow me to continue covering science and culture as I have for the past twenty years, independent and free from any outside influence.
Your support is even more essential to me because I not only keep this site free from advertisements, I do not use the corrupt social media companies like Google, Twitter, and Facebook to promote my work. I depend wholly on the direct support of my readers.
You can provide that support to Behind The Black with a contribution via Patreon or PayPal. To use Patreon, go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation. For PayPal click one of the following buttons:
If Patreon or Paypal don't work for you, you can support Behind The Black directly by sending your donation by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman, to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
Or you can donate by using Zelle through your bank. You will need to give my name and email address (found at the bottom of the "About" page). The best part of this electronic option is that no fees will be deducted! What you donate will be what I receive.
Looks like they made it the full eight minutes, but I must say, it looks like this test stand costs more than the whole of the Starship program to date.
I’d like to see its use offered to Super-Heavy and Bezos’ rockets
The big Stennis test stand SLS was tested on wouldn’t work for either Super Heavy or New Glenn. At least not as is. The stand was originally built to test the Saturn V 1st stage which was kerolox. Since then, it has had LH2 capability added in order to test the SLS core stage. To test either Super Heavy or New Glenn, it would have to be significantly refitted to handle LCH4 as both these vehicles use methalox engines.
Super Heavy is also very large, would be very difficult to move to Stennis and has its own launch infrastructure – which will be able to support static fires – already furiously a-building in Boca Chica. Blue Origin already has another Apollo-era test stand in Huntsville it is refitting to test BE-4 engines for New Glenn. The complete 1st stage can be static-fired at its LC-36 launch site.
Both companies have used Stennis test facilities in the past and may well do so again in future, but testing complete 1st stages there doesn’t look to be on the agenda for either firm, mainly for logistics reasons.
I don’t know how the Stannis Test Center has evaded my knowledge all these years. I went to the Wikipedia page (which you can usually trust for non-political entries) and see the plan began in 1961 and was operational in 1966.
No wonder it looked so expensive. It was/is!